Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said on Tuesday that the government will consider issuing a vaccination certificate as part of planned easing of COVID-19 quarantine and distancing rules. 

Speaking at a forum, Kwon addressed the need to ease distancing amid thinning public patience over protracted restrictions and said the government is mulling on possibly scaling back requirements for those who are fully vaccinated, in regards to private gatherings and distancing at multi-use facilities.  

He cited Germany's example of issuing a digital vaccination pass that allows fully vaccinated people as well as those who fully recovered from or tested negative for the virus to use facilities, adding he thinks similar measures need to be introduced in South Korea. 

The government will also review measures to ease restrictions for businesses, the minister said, including extending their business hours until midnight from the current 10 p.m.  

According to Kwon, the government is also considering a shift in its focus on the daily new infections as a benchmark to the proportion of severe patients and casualties involving the virus.

He also said the government may also expand its beta policy of allowing COVID-19 patients to be treated at home and later taken to hospital should their conditions worsen, a experimental practice has recently been introduced.